Category Uncategorized

The disappointment of failing to win promotion back to the Championship will surely still be felt at Sunderland.

The Black Cats will have to spend another year in England’s third tier as they look to get back to where they belong after a disastrous few years in football.

However, it appears that may not have been the only thing that was a disaster for the club in recent memory as decisions made by certain individuals can always come back to haunt a side in more ways than one.

Especially within the transfer market as sometimes a player can turn out to be a worldie after deciding against a move for him and then fit into the category of being ‘one that got away’.

One That Got Away – Ivan Rakitic and Sunderland

And, Ivan Rakitic is one such player that Sunderland decided against bringing to the Stadium of Light in the past.

According to a report by the Chronicle Live, the Black Cats decided to turn down the opportunity to bring the Croatian star in 2010 as Schalke 04 were prepared to let him go as the then-22-year-old only had a couple of months left on his contract.

It would have meant the Wearsiders would have paid less than £400,000 in compensation to the German Bundesliga club.

Chronicle Live also suggested that there was a feeling that he was very keen on a Premier League move at the time.

Ian Atkins, who was the former chief European scout, confirmed that Steve Bruce’s side decided against the move and he would ultimately join Sevilla before heading to Barcelona and becoming a star.

Obviously, it is difficult to predict how well a player’s future will turn out, however, it seems Rakitic made the most of his and has earned a number of honours throughout his playing career.

To highlight just how good he has become, Transfermarkt have valued the 31-year-old at a cool £45million after helping Barcelona to a number of La Liga trophies and a Champions League title, whilst he also played a significant role for Croatia last summer in Russia as they reached the World Cup final.

Sunderland have made some shocking decisions in terms of recruitment for a number of years and there a number of players that have arrived at the Stadium of Light that have further highlighted that point – Lamine Kone, Papy Djilobodji and Didier Ndong are just a couple of examples.

Hopefully, Jack Ross will have been able to sort out those problems and not make any of the same mistakes his predecessors have made in the current transfer window.

Hindsight can be a wonderful thing at times, however, it will surely have left Sunderland regretting the decision not to sign Rakitic when they had the chance.

Sunderland fans, how gutted are you to have missed out on seeing Rakitic play at the Stadium of Light? Let us know below!

Sometimes we have the displeasure of watching truly abysmal talents desecrate our beloved teams, and Grzegorz Rasiak was one such misfortune for Tottenham Hotspur fans.

“Rasiak is a tall target man, a hardworking, honest player with a good goal scoring record,” Martin Jol said (as per the club’s official website) in 2005. “He scored 45 goals in 103 games. He is a regular in the Polish international side which leads qualifying Group 6 just above England and he scored two against Israel in their recent 3-2 victory.”

Ah, Martin. What a calamitous misjudgement this was. Yes, Rasiak had been fairly decent with Derby County in the Championship but why on earth would that then mean he can become a good Premier League striker? Remember, this the team that would accumulate the lowest points tally in top flight history (11) just two years later. They were genuinely tripe.

Although he was touted as an aerial threat by Martin Jol when he joined, Rasiak seemed permanently stuck to the ground, maybe he was afraid of heights? His size and physical stature were not exactly conducive to speed and manoeuvrability, either. Which meant Spurs were essentially stuck with Big Ben up top, and their only hope of scoring via the Poland international was to boot it at him and pray they caught him at the correct angle (needless to say, this did not work).

The fact that signing the Poland star could have been easily avoided had Jol not been so impulsive on transfer deadline day makes the whole ordeal so much worse. Indeed, a matter of hours was the difference between safety and fans burning out their eyes with the toxic fumes created by the metaphorical brown mess Rasiak left in his wake.

Indeed, when we reflect on his admittedly pathetic eight Premier League appearances in a Spurs shirt, it becomes abundantly clear why Rasiak is the default answer for most people constructing a “worst ever Spurs XI” list.

Spurs fans, why do you think Rasiak was so utterly rubbish? Join the discussion by commenting below…

[ad_pod ]

BBC Football pundit Mark Lawrenson has delivered his last set of Premier League score predictions for the season ahead of the final day on Sunday, and he has made an interesting claim about Newcastle United.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Magpies travel to already-relegated Fulham this weekend in what is a largely meaningless match for both sides, with only the visitors able to finish higher – by a single place – in the top-flight standings.

It is no surprise then that Lawrenson was keen to focus on what the uncertain future of Toon manager Rafa Benitez instead, talking about what the future holds for the Spaniard under owner Mike Ashley.

The former Liverpool boss’ contract runs out this summer, as of yet there has been no suggestion as to whether he is going to stay or not – the fans have certainly made it clear what they want.

Lawrenson certainly seems to sympathise with Ashley when it comes to investing his own money though, telling BBC Football:

“The big questions, as ever, for the Magpies are will manager Rafa Benitez stay, and will he get the money that he wants to spend?

“I think the answers are ‘yes’ and ‘no’… but he will get some of it, and enough to make some more improvements to his squad.

“We already know Magpies owner Mike Ashley is never going to splash the cash, because he could give Benitez £100m and he is realistically only going to finish seventh, at best.”

Fair comments?

They probably are, yes.

Even if Benitez was given a war-chest to spend by the controversial business tycoon, he would undeniably find it difficult to finish any higher than seventh.

The likes of Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United have been so inconsistent this season, yet seventh-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers are still nine points adrift of the latter.

It will therefore be difficult for Newcastle to make a dent in the top six, but Lawrenson has also missed the point slightly.

What’s the point for the Tyneside outfit and their supporters if they can’t show the ambition to go and try and do exactly that?

Who is your club’s Lionel Messi? Fans of Spurs, Chelsea, Newcastle and more answer in the video below…

Otherwise they will just keep petering along and finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League year after year, with no hope of doing anything more.

Showing that willingness to at least want to push on is important, and in Benitez the Magpies already have the man capable of taking them a lot closer to where they dream of being.

[ad_pod ]

Virgil Van Dijk has a lot to thank Celtic for, they were the ones who took a risk on him and allowed him to play football in Britain, he stayed for two years, played in the Champions League and became an excellent defender in that time before moving to Southampton for £15 million in 2015.

On the South Coast Van Dijk grew as a defender and emerged as a real leader for the Saints before joining Liverpool for £75 million last January, in truth that price looks like an absolute bargain as the Dutchman has been the best defender in the league by miles this season.

Sunday night however, was the pinnacle of the Van Dijk’s career as he was voted PFA Player of the Year in what has been a stellar season for the 27-year old, he is now a world-class defender and in his acceptance speech he praised Celtic for all they have done for him.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

He said: “I want to thank Celtic obviously, I will not forget.”

Celtic fans were quick to take to Twitter to praise a player clearly still close to their hearts – one fan said “once a Celt… always a Celt” whilst another added “congratulations VVD”.

Take a look at the best reactions down below.

Liverpool are right on course to land a first ever Premier League title, despite handing the advantage to Manchester City in recent weeks.

The Reds, led by their enigmatic manager Jurgen Klopp, will be keen to ensure they put in some solid performances between now and the end of the season to see off the Manchester club and finally deliver the league title to their loyal fans.

Some of the football being played by Klopp’s men this term has been nothing short of superb, but there are a few issues with the squad and club in general which Klopp might need to address over the summer months.

With that thought in mind, we here at the Tavern took a closer look at TWO issues Jurgen Klopp could do with addressing at Liverpool over the summer…

Bringing in a proven striker

If there’s one place where the Reds have looked short, it’s down the middle at the top end of the field.

If Bobby Firmino is missing, Liverpool suddenly look short on quality in the number nine position.

Klopp will surely look to bring someone else in to support Firmino, with both Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi not exactly doing the business in the last few years.

Central midfield creativity

While Liverpool have options in the midfield three, they seem to lack the quality sometimes of a player who can break down tight defences.

The loss of Philippe Coutinho has never really been overcome, while expensive signing Naby Keita has failed to get going.

A player who can dissect defences should well be top of the shopping list for Klopp if he does decide to make summer moves in the market.

Celtic have been hugely impressive in recent times, other than failing to secure all three points against Aberdeen, as they find themselves in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup and they’re leading the way in the Scottish Premiership. 

Many fans will agree that Neil Lennon has done a solid job since taking the reigns from Brendan Rodgers on an interim basis, but it remains to be seen as to whether he’ll receive the permanent job at the end of the season.

Of course, securing the treble would be hard to ignore.

But, a change of management doesn’t appear to have brought transfer speculation to a halt, as according to the Daily Star, Celtic are interested in signing Ayr United’s Lawrence Shankland, who could be available on a free.

Celtic have chopped and changed things at the pinnacle of the attack in the current campaign, with the likes of Odsonne Edouard, Michael Johnston, Timothy Weah, Oliver Burke and Vakoun Issouf Bayo all swapping around.

Although, many Celtic fans will agree that their side are still yet to find the perfect replacement for Moussa Dembele who left for France back in the summer transfer window. Indeed, the Frenchman was prolific during his time at Parkhead as he established himself as a hero by scoring 51 goals in 94 appearances.

However, Celtic may have found the man to replace him in the form of Lawrence Shankland. The 23-year-old has produced an incredible 31 goals and eight assists in all competitions, which includes nine goals in six Scottish League Cup appearances. He may not have had the chance to prove himself in the Scottish Premiership as of yet, but if he can produce half as many as he’s scored this season in the top-flight then Celtic would be laughing.

Celtic fans, do you think Shankland could potentially replace Moussa Dembele? Join the discussion by commenting down below!

[ad_pod ]

Liverpool currently sit at the top of the Premier League table but a glaring absence of electricity and fluidity in Mo Salah’s performances of late are lending reason to believe that the momentum is firmly with Manchester City.

One point separates the Reds from current champions Man City, and the injury sustained by Roberto Firmino against Manchester United on Sunday afternoon could have plunged them into an uncomfortable situation, although it remains unclear how long he will be sidelined for – if he misses any action at all.

Liverpool are struggling for goals as it is and, with Divock Origi and Daniel Sturridge the only natural alternatives at centre-forward, it’s fair to say the inspiration is going to need to come from elsewhere.

During the peak of Liverpool’s form, Salah has been a reliable goal machine and chief tormentor for the opposition’s defensive unit, but a flat performance on Sunday proved the worst fears of the supporters: the Egyptian is a shadow of the player he was last season.

Enough is enough – Salah must grab the proverbial bull by the horns

That Salah has underachieved this season has been an opinion which has bubbled beneath the surface for the entirety of the campaign. Even when he has been finding the net on a regular basis, legitimate questions have been asked of his form.

What is most alarming about his form this season is that his most mediocre performances have arrived in the big games – the same fixtures in which he often thrived on his maiden campaign.

When Liverpool needed a moment of inspiration last season, Salah was there to provide it. One of his more memorable moments of divine inspiration arrived away at Manchester City in the Champions League, when he dinked the ball over Nicolas Otamendi to effectively seal their place in the semi-final.

His finish was taken with a level of sumptuous composure which had shades of Lionel Messi about it, and his ice-cool celebration in front of the travelling Liverpool supporters saw him transmit his insatiable appetite for the big occasion through his dead-eyed gaze.

Who has the loudest fans in Europe? PSG certainly state their claim in the video below…

That particular mentality seems to have eluded him somewhat this season. Perhaps the tactical tweaks implemented by Klopp are to blame, but the top players in world football allow no excuse to justify a dip in form; they stand up to the pressure and prove their worth.

If Liverpool are to finally break their Premier League duck by finishing in top spot this season, Salah must take responsibility for his own form and single-handedly breathe life back into Liverpool’s club’s title challenge.

Failure to do so will pave the way for Pep Guardiola’s city slickers to retain their crown.

تمكن فريق برشلونة وصيف الدوري الإسباني للموسم الماضي، من الفوز في أولى مبارياته بالموسم الجديد 2020/2021، من الليجا على فياريال.

برشلونة افتتح مشواره في الليجا بالفوز على فياريال برباعية نظيفة، في المواجهة التي جمعت بينهما مساء الأحد على ملعب “الكامب نو”، بالجولة الثالثة من الدوري الإسباني (طالع تقرير المباراة).

المباراة شهدت إحراز فاتي لهدفين، دخل بهما التاريخ، كما سجّل ميسي هدفًا واصل به كتابة التاريخ، كما حقق المدرب الجديد للبلوجرانا، الهولندي رونالد كومان، الإنجاز الأول له بقميص برشلونة كمدرب. شاهد أهداف مباراة برشلونة وفياريال في الدوري الإسباني

“بطولات” رصد بعض الأرقام والإحصائيات والتي جاءت كالتالي:

– أنسو فاتي بعمر 17 عامًا و332 يومًا، أصبح أصغر لاعب في الدوريات الخمس الكبر، يُسجل أكثر من 10 أهداف في جميع المُسابقات مُنذ بداية الموسم الماضي.

– فاتي بين برشلونة ومنتخب إسبانيا، سجّل سبعة أهداف في آخر تسع مباريات له بمُختلف المسابقات.

– أصبح ليونيل ميسي الرابع في تاريخ الليجا يُسجل أهدافًا في 17 موسمًا مُتتاليًا بعد أجوستين جاينثا (أسطورة أتلتيك بلباو)، كارلوس سانتيانا (نجم ريال مدريد السابق)، وسيرجيو راموس مدافع ريال مدريد.

– مدرب برشلونة رونالدو كومان حقق فوزًا بأربعة أهداف في أول ظهور له في الليجا، ليكون سابع مدرب في تاريخ النادي الكتالوني يحقق هذا الإنجاز بعد كل من سوى مارتينو، داوتشيك ، ريفى ، فيلانوفا، لاتيك، ساسوت، وبلاتكو.

[ad_pod ]

There is simply downplaying the importance of Everton’s trip to Cardiff City in the Premier League on Tuesday night.

It really is a massive, massive football match for the Toffees.

Marco Silva’s side have not actually been in action since they lost 1-0 at Watford on February 9, which was their third league defeat in a row.

Another loss against struggling Cardiff on Tuesday would lead to more pressure on Silva, who is not too popular with the fans at the moment.

Ahead of the clash in Wales, Portuguese midfielder Andre Gomes attempted to raise the spirits of the fans with a post on social media.

Gomes is certainly one of the most popular members of the Everton squad with the fans and the overall response was pretty positive.

Many called on the on-loan Barcelona midfielder to inspire the Merseyside giants to all three points, which would be extremely welcome.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to react after German outlet Bild claimed that the European champions could sign RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner, before loaning him back to the Bundesliga title chasers.

The Reds completed a similar deal when signing Naby Keita from RB Leipzig, agreeing to pay his £48m release clause before allowing the Guinea international to remain in Germany for the following campaign.

Bild are now reporting that Jurgen Klopp’s side could do the same with Werner, who has been strongly linked with a switch to Anfield – so much so that The Athletic’s James Pearce said that he’d be “surprised” if the German didn’t become a Liverpool player (TV 2 Sporten via Empire of the Kop).

It would be an excellent addition to Klopp’s squad if the Merseysiders managed to get the former Stuttgart striker to sign for them.

The 24-year-old has a quite phenomenal goal-to-game ratio this season, netting 21 goals in 24 Bundesliga starts, as well as four Champions League goals in just seven appearances in the competition – Werner also has two goals in three DFB-Pokal outings.

Let’s see what the Liverpool fans on Twitter have been saying about Bild’s report…

To kick off the reaction, one supporter described the potential situation as their “worst nightmare” – perhaps a slight overreaction.

Two more fans said that loaning Werner back would only make sense if Jadon Sancho was also signed this summer – in that case, we would be inclined to agree as Klopp would potentially struggle to squeeze both world-class attackers into his already star-studded attack.

Elsewhere, three other fans expressed their bafflement at the news.

No clues: Can you name the season these iconic Liverpool images belong to?

While it wouldn’t be ideal given Liverpool’s lack of world-class depth behind Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, it could actually make sense to loan Werner back for the first half of the campaign, and then implement him into the XI when Salah and Mane begin their Africa Cup of Nations exploits – the tournament begins in January of next season.

In other news, James Pearce has provided a timely boost for Liverpool ahead of the clash with Atletico Madrid…